The Gugulethu Tenors

Location: Based in Cape Town

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Artist Info

Afro-operatic pop sensations The Gugulethu Tenors have become a household name in South Africa since the release of their self-titled debut album in 2011. They have performed at some of SA’s top events and festivals, shared stages with local and international headliners, and been featured extensively in local and international media, whilst their fan base continues to expand, covering a wide and diverse audience.

Their journey to success, which started more than 10 years ago as four high school learners’ respective dreams of being on stage, has been widely publicised and serves as an inspiration to many.

Performance highlights include representing SA during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, captivating thousands at Cape Town’s FanFests with their soothing harmonies and remarkable voices, boasting standing-ovations at festivals like ABSA KKNK, Aardklop Arts Festival, Cultivaria and Klein Karoo Klassique to name a few, wowing corporate audiences across the country, and performing to politicians, dignitaries and superstars including Oprah Winfrey, Chris Rock and Mariah Carey.

Humble Beginnings

These self-taught vocalists, Mpendulo Yawa, Siyabulela Gqola, Xolani November and Loyiso Dlova, were selected from scores of hopeful entries at Fezeka High School in Gugulethu to enter a music competition called the Prompt Voice Search. They won first place for the best group category and have never looked back. They went on to win various other local competitions, and today this four-piece - who have been described as “South Africa’s Il Divo”, “Pavarotti’s Children” and “the Diamond of the Township” – are living their dream and enchanting the concert halls and corporate stages of South Africa with their collective song.

Afro-Opera

While their peers enjoy Kwaito, Hip Hop and Rap, the Gugulethu Tenors pursue their inherent love of Opera, a genre which is not traditionally associated with the township. By incorporating contemporary and subtle ethnic elements in their music, they have made the genre their own, capturing the hearts of audiences across South Africa and beyond with their raw talent. Their repertoire includes operatic favourites such as O Sole Mio, Nessun Dorma and Nella Fantasia, as well as popular songs like The Prayer, Miriam Makeba’s Pata Pata and even Gé Korsten’s Liefling. Their original compositions like O Afrika! and Nyamezela have audiences on their feet at every performance. The Gugulethu Tenors’ ambition goes beyond success as performers – collectively they aim to be role models for South Africa’s youth and, through their singing, to showcase the richness and diversity of South Africa’s cultural heritage.

Media

The The Gugulethu Tenors have enjoyed substantial features on all SA’s major TV magazine programmes, in all important print media (magazines, newspapers – English and Afrikaans), on radio and on the internet.

TELEVISIONIn-depth features on:

Jou Show Met Emo

Showbiz Report

Top Billing

Expresso Morning Show

KykNet Glitterati

Sky News Worldwide

E-TVSunrise Breakfast Show

All Access

Top TV Gospel

Spirit Sundae

Pasella

And many more!

NEWSPAPERSubstantial coverage in:

Weekend Argus (The Good Weekend)

Sunday Sun

Vukani

Die Burger

Volksblad

The PE Herald

City Vision

Cape Argus

The Mercury

Daily Sun

Beeld

The Star

And many more!

MAGAZINESExtensive articles and reviews in:

Sawubona SAA in-flight magazine

Get it! Magazine

Vrouekeur Magazine

Khuluma Magazine

Lewis Club

Tuis/Home

RADIOIn –studio interviews and radio-play on:

SAFM

OFM

Fine Music Radio

CCFM

Algoa FM

SABC Weekend Live

Cape Talk Radio

Good Hope FM

Bush Radio

Umhlobo Wenene FM

Helderberg Radio

Whale Coast FM

Radio 2000

The Taxi

East Coast Radio

The World (PRI’s BBC)

Client Feedback

A big thanks to the Gugs Tenors for a great weekend at the AORTIC Conference in Durban. They were lovely to work with, punctual and accommodating. And their set was awesome, the international audience adored them – and were even up and dancing to some of the faster numbers!Sally Robinson, Show Works

The Gugulethu Tenors were absolutely AMAZING, and couldn’t be more perfect for our gala event, THANK YOU!! two standing ovations if I may add. Thank you once again for all your assistance throughout the booking process. I look forward to working with Five Seasons in the future.Tharwah Nolan, Media24

It was fantastic and everyone is raving about it. Thank you, it will be a memorable evening for all and everyone is very happy. Thank you for all the assistance!Ingrid Hansen, Turners Conferences & Conventions

I was blown away! I was entirely caught up in the infectious joy these four singers radiate from the stage. I have never seen anything like it. The genre of music they sing is a smorgasbord of “popera” or Afro-Opera, with a variety of bel canto opera Neopolitan songs, contemporary classics, popular covers, South African favourites (including Afrikaans song, Liefling, which went down amazingly well with the whole audience) and their own compositions. They are entirely at ease in front of the microphones and their movements on stage are both natural and controlled without any fussy or bizarre choreography. Mpendulo Yawa, Xolani November, Siyabulela Ggola and Loyiso Dlova thrilled me, touched me and left me wanting more.Moira de Swardt's - Media review 6 August 2012

The Tenors were outstanding!! Thank you so much for being part of making that happen. I will definitely promote them wherever I can.
James Fernie, Uthando Foundation South Africa

Most important for me was to watch the response our stars received, and guest were coming up to say they were proud to see their own performing as they have never seen them perform before, to a point where tears were streaming from our audience.Thank you and thank the Tenors on my behalf to have created a humbling experience!
Busi Msimango, TOPS Gugulethu Wine Festival & Mutichoice

These guys are just amazing!!! Every time I listen to them I get goosebumps!!!!
Liezel Short, Red Hot Events

On behalf of the LIFE Residential team, thank you for joining us yesterday evening. It was a truly memorable evening at Mandela Rhodes Place, primarily because of the phenomenal performance by the Gugulethu Tenors. They have gained many new fans and affirmed existing ones. Please pass on my sincerest thanks to the tenors – they are truly amazing. I look forward to seeing them performing again soon.
Richard Boxford, LIFE Residential

Thank you, it all went well on Saturday and everyone enjoyed the Tenors – they were a good bunch to work with. We will definitely look at hiring them for our future events. Even the chess enthusiasts who generally play in silence enjoyed the entertainment provided by the Tenors.
Karen Bailey, Claremont Improvement District Company

YES, it went very well and all my friends and family loved your most wonderful and talented Tenors!!!! Again a big THANKS to them and also to Heinrich Kapp [sound engineer]. I wish you and your team a very blessed Holiday and may GOD bless you all with health and wealth and happiness in the New Year!!
Dr Heidi Retter

We enjoyed every minute with the Tenors. They are incredible!June-Rose Ngcobo, National Research Foundation

The Tenors were excellent!!! It was such a lovely evening and they contributed to the success of it. The boys are so talented. Once again....THANK YOU!!!!!!
Patricia Jacobs, Manager Student Support Services, Northlink College

A huge thank you from all of us to you and the Tenors for opening our show in the most fitting way we could imagine. You got the crowd dancing and set the spirit and the tone of the evening just as you and I had discussed that we wanted to. What more could we have asked for. We were privileged to have you as part of the Freedom To Create project, and thanks for all your support over the last few months.
Kate Timperley, Freedom To Create

Awesome! They received a standing ovation, which says it all. Well done! People, including myself, also commented on how humble the guys are - no "diva" attitude! Well done and all the best for your future.
Meryl Pretorius, Transnet

Thank you - your Guys were amazing! It is a tough crowd to please but they seemed to have wowed them never the less! Congrats & thank you!
Darielle Roberston, DNA Events

Many thanks for allowing us to have the Gugulethu Tenors entertain the public today at the Waterfront.We really appreciate your support and their amazing talent. They were unbelievable and did us proud. This event is to make awareness leading up to National Bandana Day.Thank you for your being prepared to support us and for your kindness.
Adi Phillips, Sunflower Fund, Western Cape

On behalf of the Southern Sun Cape Sun, my heartfelt thank you for your wonderful involvement in the Bidvest World Chefs Tour Against Hunger Gala Dinner, held at the Cape Sun on 27 August 2011. Your performance was definitely the highlight of the evening!
James Murdoch, General Manager, Southern Sun Cape Sun

Once again, your boys were stars! I don’t think there was a dry eye in the audience. Thank you for the slick organisation - the stage, lighting and sound was perfect.Shona Bradford - N'Lighten

We loved working with the Tenors. They were wonderful & the client loved the performance!
Dhashinie Vandeyar – Indigo Marketing

The Tenors were absolutely amazing this morning! The delegates actually had tears in their eyes as they were finishing up, it was a very exciting and emotional moment! I did convey my thanks to them, but please tell them again!!Liezel Short - Red Hot Events

The guys were superb, they rocked the event to no end and our audience loved them. We wouldn't hesitate to involve them in our events again. The variety of music they offer catered for everyone right across the board!!
Nola Matinise - Parliament, Cape Town

Wow what a great show. Very versatile, our guests were blown away. I will certainly use them for future conference if the clients want that type of evening. They got a standing ovation. Many thanks!Sundru Pillay - Sumetro Travel